News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Police Cruiser Crash
Case Number: 21-TVI-413
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-TVI-413
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a collision that seriously injured an 84-year-old man and 79-year-old woman last December.
On December 8, 2021, the man and woman were in a car travelling north on Avenue Road and making a left-turn onto St. Clair Avenue. At about the same time, the officer, driving a marked police SUV and en route to a 911 call about a man with a gun, was travelling south on Avenue Road with his emergency lights and siren on. As the officer approached the intersection, the light turned amber and the man, who was driving the car, turned left in the path of the cruiser. The vehicles collided. The man and woman were taken to hospital, suffering multiple fractures.
Based on eyewitness interviews, a review of police vehicle camera footage, as well as GPS and ‘black box’ data, Director Martino found that the officer’s speed just before the crash was subject to legitimate scrutiny. However, he noted there were extenuating considerations that rendered the officer’s driving less than a marked departure from a reasonable standard of care. Accordingly, Director Martino concluded that the officer did not transgress the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law. Accordingly, there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES